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Students at a North Belfast school have been celebrating being among the first pupils to obtain a newly introduced GCSE in digital filmmaking.

The students at Hazelwood Integrated College were among the first batch of students in the North being awarded a GCSE in Moving Image Arts (MIA) by CCEA, the Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment. The subject has only been available at A-Level until now.

Only 230 candidates took the innovative qualification that involves sitting an online exam and producing short films as part of their coursework.

Hazelwood student Daniel McGuigan was delighted with his B grade.

“This subject was inspiring and I’m hoping to continue it at A-Level,” he said.

“The best part of the course for me was that you do a lot of the work outside the school rather than being confined to the classroom. I also enjoyed the editing process. I’d recommend Moving Image Arts to anybody. “

The Moving Image Arts teacher at Hazelwood, Caroline Armstrong said the new qualification has created greater access for students wishing to take their first steps in the film industry.

“Many children of this age have a real interest in learning about film language and making their own movies. The MIA GCSE is a fantastic opportunity for students to get an early grounding in filmmaking skills and is an excellent foundation for those wishing to continue on to A-Level and university.”